Alexandria, Virginia

RAPID VIDEODEVELOPMENTFOR TRAINERSHow to Create Learning Videos Fast and Affordably

JONATHAN HALLS

2012 the American Society for Training & Development All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please go to www.copyright.com, or contact Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923 (telephone: 978.750.8400, fax: 978.646.8600). ASTD Press is an internationally renowned source of insightful and practical information on workplace learning and performance topics, including training basics, evaluation and return on investment, instructional systems development, e-learning, leadership, and career development. Visit us at www.astd.org/astdpress. Ordering information for print edition: Books published by ASTD Press can be purchased by visiting ASTDs website at store.astd.org or by calling 800.628.2783 or 703.683.8100. Library of Congress Control Number: 2012935932 (print edition only) Print Edition ISBN: 978-1-56286-811-6 PDF e-book edition ISBN: 978-1-60728-666-0

2012-1

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Rapid Video Development

Table of Contents

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvDont Leave Your Video to Chance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv

Workshop Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvi

Good Luck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xviii

In This Book and on the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix

Section 1: Behind the Video

Chapter 1 VIDEO AND THE TRAINERIts Not New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Yesterday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

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Video for Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Using Video for Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Better Demonstrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Manipulate Pictures to Enrich the Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Offer Regular Access to Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Maintain Consistent Standards in Information Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

21st Century Trainer Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Chapter 2 VIDEO PSYCHOLOGYElements of Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Core Video Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Principle 1: If Theres No Action, Dont Use Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Principle 2: Pictures Are the Foundation of Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Principle 3: Video Is Not Always the Best Communication Method . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Principle 4: Your Video Message Needs to Be Quick and Easy to Understand . . . 15

Your Brain and Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Cognitive Psychology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Three Stages of Memory and Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Impact on Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Stories and Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Web Videos Relationship to the Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Dimensions of the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Bolting It All Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Chapter 3 VIDEO AND LEARNINGUsing Educational Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Information Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Mental Models and Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

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Memory Retention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27RepetitionRetrieval Is the Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Creative Repetition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Cognitive Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Create a Light Cognitive Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Adult Learning Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29Autonomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Prior Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Goal-Focused and Relevant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Interactivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Video Offers Powerful Opportunities for Trainers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Chapter 4 VIDEO IN PRACTICEUsing Video for Organizational Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Producing Video in Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

High-End vs . Cheap and Cheerful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40Organizational Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Future of Didactic Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Section 2: How Video Works

Chapter 5 THE PICTURE LAYER AND VISUAL GRAMMARPictures First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Moving Pictures Are Worth Three Thousand Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

The Language of Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Changing Shots and Shot Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Draw a Storyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

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Shot SizesThe Balance Between Intimacy/Detail and Context . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Camera Movements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58Tracking Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Zooming In or Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Tilting Up or Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Panning Left or Right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Simulated Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Using Camera Movements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Camera Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61Using Camera Angles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Camera Placement and the 180-Degree Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

ContextYour Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Chapter 6 THE VISUAL EFFECTS LAYEREnhancing the Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Effects and Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71Convert Your Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Correct Your Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Alter Your Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Add Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Caution About Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Graphs and Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Captions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Animations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

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Chapter 7 THE SPOKEN WORD LAYERThe Supporting Role of Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Writing to Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Writing for the Ear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Sentences and Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Lay Out Your Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86

Spoken Word Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

Chapter 8 THE MUSIC AND SOUND EFFECTS LAYERInfluencing Mood and Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90Music Affects Mood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Music Creates Atmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Music Affects Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Music Triggers Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Use Music to Influence Your Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Using Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Sound Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92Using Sound Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Legal Issues With Music and Sound Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Create Your Own Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

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Section 3: Preproduction

Chapter 9 PREPRODUCTION WORKFLOWPreproduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Identify How Viewers Will Learn the Learning Objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Draw a Storyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Scout Your Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Finalize Your Storyboard and Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Scouting Your Location on the Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Plan the Production and Logistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Develop a Media Assets Storage Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Create a Production File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106

Section 4: Production

Chapter 10 TOOLS OF VIDEO PRODUCTIONEquipment for Getting Good Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111

Your Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112Three Principles for Selecting a Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Four Functions Your Camera Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Tripod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Microphone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

Editing Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

Video for Under $500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

Cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

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Tripods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Microphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

Editing Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

Putting Together Your Camera Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

Chapter 11 HOW TO SHOOT GREAT PICTURESTips and Tricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123

Choosing the Right Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Distractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Extra StepUsing Electric Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Hard and Soft Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Three-Point Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Four-Point Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Cross Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Aspect Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Framing Your Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130Rule of Thirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Looking Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Camera Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Background Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132Public Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Acoustics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Wind and Rustling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

Shooting Great Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

x

Chapter 12 HOW TO USE YOUR CAMERALearn Good Habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Setting Up Your Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

Four-Step Camera Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136White (White Balance) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Tight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Bright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Shooting for the Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139Poor-Quality Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Lack of Necessary Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Speeding Up the Editing Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Draw a Storyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Roll Your Tape Early . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Dont Cross the Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Shoot Additional Cutaways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Shot Formulas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142The Three-Shot Formula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

The Five-Shot Formula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

General Rules for Three-Shot and Five-Shot Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Chapter 13 LOOKING GOOD IN VIDEOMaking Your Subjects Feel Comfortable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145

How Your Subjects Should Dress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

10 Tips for Dressing Well on Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Grooming Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150

Tips for Looking Great on Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151

Learn From the Pros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151

xi

Section 5: Postproduction

Chapter 14 EDITING YOUR VIDEOEditing Words vs . Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

The Art of Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156Steps an Editor Takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Ingest and Log the Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Preventing Headaches Later . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Assemble the Shots in Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Trim Each Individual Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Jump Cuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Continuity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Cutaways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Add Transitions and Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

The Art of Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163

Video Correction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163

How Editing Software Packages Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163Your Original Video File Is Safe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Storyboard vs. Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Choosing a Video Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166Export the Master Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

xii

Section 6: Into Action

Chapter 15 TECH STUFFUnderstand the Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173

How Video Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174Frame Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Progressive and Interlaced Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Video on the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175The Trade-Off Between Bandwidth and File Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Future of Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178

Shooting Techniques to Help Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178Avoid Moving Backgrounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Shoot on a Tripod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Dont Pan, Track, or Tilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Dont Zoom In and Out While Rolling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

File Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179Windows Media Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

Quicktime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

Real Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

Flash Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

MPEG and MP4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

AVI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

HDV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

AVCHD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

When Will You Use These Formats? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

Where to Post Your Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182Download . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Stream From Your Own Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

Post to a Video Sharing Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

Host on a Commercial Video Platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Publish as DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

Distributing Your Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185

xiii

Chapter 16 VIDEO WORKFLOWBe Disciplined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187

Success Blockers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188

Creating a Workflow for Learning Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189 1. Start With a Learning Objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

2. Define Your Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

3. Ask If Video Is the Best Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

4. Do Your Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

5. Brainstorm Story Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

6. Draw a Storyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

7. Write the Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

8. Plan Your Shoot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

9. Shoot Your Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

10. Ingest and Log Your Footage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

11. Conduct the Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

12. Have a Glass of Champagne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203

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xv

Preface

Workplace learning professionals, or trainers as

most people know us, hold a key role of leading

people to the future in todays organizations. And

because of our important role in tomorrows or-

ganizations, we are charged with educating, in-

spiring, motivating, and correcting performance.

Because of this, we are constantly updating our

professional tool kit with new skills to expand

our learning influence in organizations, while

at the same time keeping costs down. Multime-

dia communication is a new skill for trainers in

the 21st centuryone we need to add to existing

professional competencies such as facilitation,

instructional design, influencing the C-suite,

and writing workbooks. Of all the multimedia

skills, video is probably the most complex.

Technology has catapulted us into a new era

where video is no longer the exclusive do-

main of TV and film producers. You dont need

expensive production crews to make video

anymore, nor do you need expensive cameras.

But you do need an understanding of how video

works as a communication method, skills to

produce it, and the discipline to do it well. With-

out these, you leave the success of your video

to chance. It may end up looking amateur and

achieve the same level of impact as a poorly de-

signed training class delivered by someone not

skilled in facilitation.

Dont Leave Your Video to Chance

Ive written this book so you dont have to leave

your video to chance. I want to help you devel-

op the disciplines of planning video content to

facilitate learning and to do it professionally.

We will look at what you can do to make the

flow of your content smooth and professional,

as well as how to shoot in a way that prevents

xvi

Preface

your video from looking amateurish. Well ex-

amine what makes a powerful video and then

review it through the lens of how people learn.

Its these sets of disciplines that will ensure

your video content becomes a key part of your

tool kit to help drive organizational perfor-

mance through learning.

Ive been teaching media in newspapers, ra-

dio, and television organizations for more than

20 years. However, I have spent an increasing

amount of time over the past three years work-

ing with government and corporate organiza-

tions that want to take advantage of accessible

technology and create media in learning. In-

creasingly, nonmedia organizations see media

production and communication as a key skill set

their staffs need. Ive seen this firsthand. Three

years ago, organizations would send one or two

people to my workshops. Today, these organi-

zations ask me to teach their entire training de-

partments. Media production skills are hot.

Workshop Structure

Based on my work as both a teacher and a

practitioner, I have structured this book in

much the same way that I structure my work-

shops. I feel this is the most productive way

to help you. Fortunately, my publishers have

been kind enough to let me write in a more

personal style rather than make this a rigid old

textbook. I like to see learning as a conversa-

tion, and so I have written conversationally.

In this book, I explain how video works as a

method of communication by deconstructing

it into a series of message layers. I find this

is the fastest and most effective way to learn

the power of video. This may not be how some

film schools teach the psychology of video, but

thats fine, because were looking at producing

web videonot films. And while this is also not

a book on television production, there will be

some similarities between filmmaking, tele-

vision, and web video in the concepts we dis-

cuss, such as visual grammar and editing.

This is a book on web video and how to create

web video for learnersnot how to make cine-

ma or television video. If it were a book on tele-

vision or film, I would have approached it dif-

ferently, because each medium has a different

physical relationship with the viewer, and as

a consequence requires a different approach.

(And actually, web video is not a medium like

TV and cinema. It is a method of communica-

tion that sits on the medium of the web.)

There are a few other things about this book

Id like to share. First, youll find that certain

xvii

Preface

techniques and the language of describing

things are different than what you may have

heard before depending on which country you

work in, or whether you are in television or

cinema. For example, some people use the

term long shot while other people say wide-

shot. Both words have the same meaning.

And some people use the term crab left to

describe what others call truck left. Does it

matter which term you use? I dont think so, as

long as you are consistent. And to be consis-

tent, I have adopted some terms over others.

At the end of the day, the goal is to make video

that aids learning.

Finally, I have often seen the skills and time re-

quired to create quality video play second fiddle

to things like choosing learning management

systems (LMS) and other more macro-level is-

sues. Neither the LMS nor the content is more

important than the other. An LMS has little value

if you dont also invest in the quality of your vid-

eo. Im not suggesting a conspiracy here. This

just happens for one reason or anotherper-

haps building technology is easier to quantify. I

am hoping this book helps restore the balance

so organizations invest the necessary time and

money, because well-produced video, and in-

deed well-produced content of any type, is what

breathes life into learning technology.

Good Luck

Although making video is much harder than it

looks and takes longer to produce than most

people think, it is loads of fun and hugely re-

warding in terms of its effect on learning,

along with the time and money it saves an or-

ganization. As you develop your skills and dis-

cipline in making video, I hope you find that the

access we now have to affordable video tech-

nology improves your practice as a trainer, so

you can deliver greater value to your organi-

zation and demonstrate the value of learning

to all you influence.

xviii

Its easy to be proud when you write a book. But

its success really sings the praises of the people

who have contributed to it and shaped your think-

ing over the years. ASTD Press has a great team.

Thanks to Justin Brusino for asking me to write

this and badgering me to write for some years

now. Heidi Smith, my editor, smoothed out my

prose, giving it more life and translating some of

the cultural terms I have picked up from around

the world into American English. Anthony Allen,

ASTDs director of production, was my second

set of technical eyes on production and technical

issues. And Amanda Anderson shot the video for

the interactive e-book.

Thanks also to the thought leaders I inter-

viewed and included in the book. What I teach is

as much the result of people who have shaped

my development as it is my own critical reflec-

tion. The late Alex Vale inspired in me the spirit

of media and learning. Bruce McNeilly coached

me and shaped my early professional years. At

the BBC, Paul Myers and Phil Ross taught me

new media when it was still new, as did Simon

Fox, who also taught me television production.

Simon was part of BBC Production Trainings

Elstree team, which gave me the best televi-

sion education anyone could want, along with

the privilege of serving the team as its boss.

These guys are the best media trainers in the

world, and the time I worked with them was the

proudest period in my career. Mhairi Campbell

and Gordon Lamont, two former BBC educa-

tion editors, have also been influential as both

friends and colleagues.

Thanks to my family. My parents always en-

couraged me, and my wife Sharon is a constant

support. Not only does she endure my constant

critiques of everything I see on television, read

in the newspaper, and hear on the radio, but

also, she listens to my ideas, encourages me,

and acts as the first, second, and third set of

eyes whenever I write.

Acknowledgments

xix

In This Book and on the Web

Throughout this book, still photographs are

shown to illustrate concepts discussed in the

text. All are taken by Jonathan Halls, except

where noted. The photos are a good visual rep-

resentation of the ideas and skills needed in

video production. For fine-tuning of the tech-

niques, please go to www.astd.org/rapidvideo.

There you will find videos titled by technique,

for easy access to each skill you want to see

in more detail. Since this book is about video,

video is the best medium to show these tech-

niques in action.

(photo by Shutterstock)

89

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Music and Sound Effects LayerIn this chapter:

How music affects the viewer

What to use music for

The power of sound effects

Legal issues with music and sound effects

The option to create your own music

Influencing Mood and Energy While the spoken word layer adds detail, the

music layer will affect your viewers mood,

emotion, and energy. Once again, it should add

to your picture, not repeat it. Both music and

sound effects are two tools that add emotion to

the message and expand the sensory impact

of the story. While music constitutes a differ-

ent message layer than sound effects, each

one fulfills a different storytelling purpose,

and were going to look at both of these in this

chapter because there are some crossovers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p25alWFP_qU

90

Chapter Eight

First well look at each message layer, review

the legal aspects, and then look at where to

find music and sound effects for your project.

Music Music is an important part of everyday life.

Some people sing along to music when they

sit in traffic. Others dance to it. Others use it

to relax and change their moods, while some

people use it only as a background noise. All

kinds of music mean many things to different

people. Music can do four important things

for your video: affect the mood of your viewer;

create atmosphere and take you on a journey;

change your viewers energy level; and trigger

a memory.

It is tempting to allow your personal music

preferences to influence what music you use in

your video. If you like jazz, you may be swayed

to play a piece of music with jazz piano un-

der your opening sequence of shots. If youre

a classical buff, the thought of a boppy rock

piece might horrify you. But remember that

the music in the video has a narrative purpose,

and that purpose is audience-centered. Try

not to choose music just because you like it;

choose it because it will do something for your

story. What can music do?

Music Affects Mood

Great composers have used symphonies to tell

stories. A classic example is Tchaikovskys Ro-

meo and Juliet. If you listen to it, youll find it

takes you through the moods associated with

Shakepeares classic play. Music can make you

feel happy or sad. It can make you feel playful.

That is its magic.

However, to affect the mood of your viewer, you

need to choose the right music. Getting this

right is critical because many people react dif-

ferently to the same piece of music. You need to

know your audience to get this right. Different

demographics will respond differently to varied

types of music. Sometimes its about age, while

at other times its about common interests. For

example, the baseball song, Take Me Out to the

Ball Game will not achieve the same effect with

a European viewer that it would with an Ameri-

can. And a heavy metal track may not provoke

the same response in an older audience as it

might with a younger audience. When you couple

the right music with video, it can add a powerful

emotional message to your story. For example,

if you are conveying a serious message, you

certainly dont want to have music in the back-

ground that belongs at a circus. Likewise, for a

lighthearted video, you dont want to feature a

funeral march.

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The Music and Sound Effects Layer

Music Creates Atmosphere

Music creates atmosphere and can transport

you to somewhere else in the world. The sound

of carnival music can draw on your own mem-

ory to help bring alive the picture of a carni-

val. The sounds of a guitar being played can

take you to a Spanish restaurant. If you want to

create the eerie scene of a London fog, the fog

alone can only do so much. Mysterious music

can add that extra mystery to your message.

Music Affects Energy

Music profoundly affects your viewers energy

levelsthats why massage centers play new-

age guitar music during therapy, and aerobics

instructors use music with a strong rhythm and

beat. To keep your video interesting, you can se-

lectively play music at certain times to boost the

energy level and thus the interest of your viewer.

This can be helpful at the beginning and end of

the video piece as well as during moments when

the narrative lags. For learning video, someone

could show a graphic of key learning points while

playing positive music in the background to keep

their attention.

Music Triggers Memory

Music also has the power to trigger strong

memories. Many people remember special

moments when they hear a song associated

with that event from long ago, such as a song

played at a school dance or on a first date.

Thats why radio stations will often play mu-

sic that was popular last summer during this

years spring, with the intention to make you

feel goodclever.

Of course, it doesnt always have to be so di-

rect. Playing music from another era can

evoke powerful memories or even constructs

of that era. Music from World War II can help

create a 1940s feel, as the muted trumpet of a

slow jazz number may help create the atmo-

sphere of prohibition-era Chicago.

Use Music to Influence Your Viewer

When you plan your storyboard and script, ask

yourself, What kind of mood do I need to con-

vey? If you are creating a motivational video,

you will want that mood to be upbeat and posi-

tive, so a piece of music in a major key signa-

ture would possibly work.

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Chapter Eight

What atmosphere is appropriate? Is the video a

comedy? Do you need music that would more

typically be found at a circus? Do you need to

create some energy? Have you just finished a

fairly complex video and need to summarize

the key learning points? If so, perhaps some

energetic music under the narrators voice

will work to add some interest. These are the

questions that should guide your selection of

music, not whether you like the track.

For example, if you want to convey a sense of

fear, as a woman in her 20s walks along a dark

street without having her say, It is scary out

here, you could play a piece of music with a

strong minor tone and a tense rhythm as she

walks. If you wanted to change the mood for

the same track, you could use an urban techno

beat to convey that she is walking home from a

happy night out.

Using Music

Music can be used in your video in all sorts of

ways. Here are four tips to help you get it right.

You will both see and hear how this works in

the interactive elements of this book.

Only use music when it achieves your pur-

pose. That is, when you need it to affect mood,

atmosphere, or energy. Dont go looking for a

place in your video to include your favorite mu-

sic track. Instead, go looking for a music track

that will achieve your narrative purpose.

Strike a careful balance. You should be using

music liberally, as it is a powerful tool, but

dont overdo it. Some corporate videographers

play music underneath the entire duration of

their video. All that does is send your viewer

into a trance and sets their mind wandering.

Use music for creative repetition. If youre

going to recap an important point, a strong,

energetic piece of music played behind some

commentary or while you are showing a slide

is an excellent way to energize your viewer or

recapture their attention.

Use music for punctuation. If you have a longer

video and need to create separation within it be-

tween various chapters, music could be ideal.

Sound Effects Sound effects are often overlooked by ama-

teur videographers. However, they can amplify

your message and make it stick. Sound effects

grab the viewers attention and are often cou-

pled with captions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibWvN2vF8wY

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The Music and Sound Effects Layer

Most professional television programs overlay

the video with special sound effects to make

these sounds cleaner, crisper, and more pow-

erful. Often, these sound effects have been

recorded with the microphone close to the

source, and they have been processed through

special audio filters to make them sound full.

When you watch TV, listen to the sounds that

accompany the action. For example, there is a

sound when someone closes a car door. That

sound was likely added in postproduction. The

throaty roar of a car as it takes off is almost

always more throaty than in real life.

Sound effects are powerful because they draw

on both your brains memory and imagination

to make the sound personal. If I were to play

the sound of a dentist drill to you, how would

you feel? Most people immediately cringe be-

cause it triggers that experience in the dentist

chair. The sound creates a powerful reaction,

because enough bad memories are associ-

ated with that sound effect that our brains can

imagine and recreate those memories from

the starting point of sound.

Every sound has this potential. If you have ever

been in a car crash, the sound effects of any

car crash will trigger your memory and youll

relive some of the emotions. The visual image

is no longer abstract, but is made real by your

own memory. Adding sounds to your video will

help your viewer experience more of the emo-

tion about the message.

Sounds do a number of things for us. They grab

our attention. Some documentary makers will

insert a whoosh sound at the time a caption

comes on the screen. This sound grabs the

viewers attention and encourages us to read

the caption.

Using Sound Effects

Think about your message and ask yourself

where sound effects can make the message

more emotional and powerful. Breaking glass,

car crash, slamming door? Replace the origi-

nal audio from your video with commercially

recorded sound effects, which are processed

to sound very real.

When you record on a low-end camera, add-

ing commercially recorded sound will give it a

real boost. Even on higher grade cameras, you

will probably have your microphone focused

on your subject, not the sound, so the original

sound captured by the cameras microphone

will never sound quite as good as when ex-

perts do it. Also, if you have a caption or spe-

cial transition, consider using a sound effect to

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Chapter Eight

give it some more oomph. This will draw the

viewers attention and disrupt them if they lost

interest or started falling asleep.

Use sound effects subtly, however. The key to

using sound effects is to use as few as pos-

sible to convey your message. Amateurs tend

to overload their media with too many sound

effects and draw attention to the sounds, not

the story.

Legal Issues With Music and Sound Effects It is illegal to republish music without permis-

sion of the composer, performer, and pub-

lisher. So if you think a song by Madonna might

suit your video, you must get her and the pub-

lishers permission. If you dont, you are violat-

ing copyright and she and you could be sued.

It is usually not very convenient to use music

performed by popular artists. They often at-

tach stringent conditions on when you can use

the music, how it can be used, and even how

many times. And they also tend to charge a lot

of money for royalties.

Because of this, a whole industry exists to sup-

port radio, television, and cinematic producers

with music that has fewer strings attached.

Known as the production music industry, busi-

nesses in this industry compose, perform, and

publish music for you to use in your videos.

The music is called royalty free music. Very

often, production houses produce 60-second,

15-second, 8-second, and 4-second versions to

give you much flexibility in using their music.

Its great for TV and radio stations because their

commercials tend to be 60, 30, or 15 seconds.

Its also good for you in case you have music

that you want in videos of different lengths, and

it saves time spent editing the music.

Production music houses offer music in mul-

tiple genres. They will offer styles such as or-

chestral, hip-hop, jazz, rock, easy listening, and

even comedy. In the old days, youd buy a series

of CDs or records from this library. Today, you

can buy one track at a time by searching their li-

braries online and downloading what you need.

How much does it cost to use this music? Well,

that depends on the publisher and the artist.

The music is royalty free, which means you

dont have to pay a fee every time you use it. You

do need a license, however. Generally you buy

a nonexclusive license to that music when you

buy the CD or download the track. The license

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The Music and Sound Effects Layer

is nonexclusive because anyone else can buy

that music track and use it too. Virtually all the

music you hear in radio commercials and doc-

umentaries come from production libraries.

Many production houses also sell sound ef-

fects. You can buy whole CDs of sound effects

or download individual sound effects for as

little as $3 per effect. Like production music,

you need to buy a license to use these sounds.

When you buy production music and sound ef-

fects, make sure you get the documentation

that explains your license and file it away safe-

ly in case you need it in the future. Often, video

sites like YouTube will contact the creators of

videos that have high views and demand to

see their license with the threat of taking the

videos down. Thats why filing discipline is im-

portant. Make sure you file your license agree-

ment in a folder you can quickly find when

asked to provide proof of your permission to

use the music. Every production house will

have its own set of rules, and you need to read

them to avoid being prosecuted for breach of

copyright. Some companies will allow you to

use the music only on the web, whereas others

will allow you to use it in anything from cinema

to radio commercials.

Where do you find production houses selling

royalty free music and sound effects? The easy

thing is to do a Google search for royalty free

music or royalty free sound effects. This

will bring up a range of suppliers. You may

also find sites offering free music or sound

effects. Be wary of these, and make sure you

get proper documentation when downloading

their audio, because sometimes it can be pi-

rated from other suppliers.

As of printing, here are three companies that

offer music and sound effects:

Sound Rangers . This California-basedcompany has a top range of music andsound effects. You can listen to themonline, purchase, and download. Manyof their effects have been used byHollywood. (www.soundrangers.com)

IB Audio . This UK-based company offers asubscription. For an annual fee, you haveaccess to their entire library for a year.They offer the best value with the feweststrings attached in their royalty freeagreements. (www.ibaudio.com)

The Footage Firm . Based in northernVirginia, the Footage Firm sells royaltyfree video footage as well as music andsound effects. They charge commercialrates, but dont worry when you first seetheir prices. They often have specials thatgive away music and sound effects forthe cost of postage and handling. (www.footagefirm.com)

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Chapter Eight

Create Your Own Music There is the conventional way of getting mu-

sic for video by buying royalty free content, but

you can also create your own music. If you are

musically inclined, your first option is to sit

down, compose it, and then record yourself or

someone else playing it. Perhaps you have a

friend or colleague who might do this for you.

Composing music from scratch adds a lot

more work into the production process, but

it offers you the opportunity to properly craft

music to your purpose. If you have the time

and resources to do this, thats great. Here is

one suggestion if you are recording your own

music: Make sure each instrument is carefully

miked and that the overall recording is bal-

anced well. This is complex and is both an art

and a science.

A new easy way of creating music for your

video is making soundtracks with loops. Loops

are very short audio recordings of beats or

rhythms that last about four bars. You can

repeat these and lay other loops over them

to create new music. Loops generally sound

more electronic than acoustic, but they give

you enormous flexibility. If you choose to go

down this route, you can easily find loops by

searching for them online. Youll find some

firms offering loops for free as well as stan-

dard commercial sites that sell them. Dont

forget, regardless of whether you pay for loops

or whether they are free, check that you have

the license to use them.

SummaryMusic and sound effects can add power to your

video and reinforce your message. Adding mu-

sic allows you to affect the mood and energy

level of your viewer, as well as to transport

them someplace. Music also has the ability

to draw on a positive memory. However, al-

ways choose music that is appropriate for your

viewer and be careful not to lace your video

with music you like rather than what works

for the viewer. Sound effects are also power-

ful tools for giving your picture greater impact.

You must have the copyright of any music or

sound effect you use. You can buy royalty free

production music and sound effects that give

you a license to use them in your productions.